Residue removal apparatus and process

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for removing residue from an edge of an item are disclosed. The method and apparatus are well-suited to assist in reconditioning used shelving units or deck units for store displays. In various embodiments, ticket holders are removed from the ticket edges of the units. Each unit is then placed on a conveyor and aligned with a guide edge. Optionally, magnets may hold each unit in place on the conveyor. The conveyor moves the units along at least one residue removing machine, and ideally, two residue removing or buffing machines in succession. The residue removing machines ideally include a rotating buffing wheel which strips residue such as glue from the ticket edge of the units. A vacuum can be used to collect debris produced from this process. Sensors may be positioned to sense the front edge of each unit and slide each residue removing machine into operating position at the right time once the front edge of each unit is in residue removing position. The units may be cleansed and painted after the glue or residue is removed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to removal of residue from surfaces, and more particularly, to a process and apparatus for removing residue disposed on surfaces of shelving, decks, and store display fixtures of numerous types and forms used in retail store displays.

2. Background

Various processes and apparatus have been used for cleaning, buffing, and removing residue from objects. Objects have been reconditioned manually, or by machine. The need for reconditioning manufactured items has been present in numerous industries.

One such need is present with respect to shelving and deck units which have been used in retail store displays. Once such displays have been removed from the floor, they must either be disposed of, or reconditioned for further use. Such shelves and deck units typically have residue such as glue from tickets deposited on the ticket edge of the shelves. In order to recondition such shelves, the residue must be removed.

The process of removing such residue has typically been a manual process. However, manually removing residue from these shelving units is a tedious, and inefficient process. Thus, many such fixtures are discarded rather than reconditioned.

Various automated processes for buffing are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,783, issued to Daunheimer et al., discloses an apparatus and method for rotary buffing. However, the process is used to make the shape of items uniform and does not address removing debris such as glue from a ticket edge.

While this, and various other processes may be known, currently, there is no sufficient or efficient method known heretofore for reconditioning shelving or deck units.

Thus, there continues to be a need for an automated or partially automated process to recondition shelving or deck units.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a method and apparatus for removing residue from an object. In preferred embodiments, the method and apparatus are most suitable for removing residue such as glue left over from tickets of various shapes and sizes, such as price tag tickets or other forms of tickets used to provide information to consumers, from used shelving or deck units. The present invention may be employed in a reconditioning process to recondition such used shelving or deck units. The shelving and deck units referred to are those of the type used in retail store displays, the decks being the bottom platforms of those displays.

In various preferred embodiments, used shelving or deck units are sorted for reconditioning. The shelving or deck units are of the type which are used in retail store displays, and typically include a ticket edge. The ticket edge may be of any particular shape or form, such as an edge commonly known as a ticket nose or slant nose on shelves or decks manufactured by various companies. For example, the ticket edge may be a slanted edge, or a “C” shaped edge. Such ticket edges, after being used in a retail store environment, typically are blemished with glue, and often with other debris.

A manual process for removing ticket holders may be used prior to loading the units onto a conveyor. Then, the units are placed on a conveyor such as a conveyor belt, rolling cylinder conveyor system, or other conveyor system. Preferably, the units are aligned with an edge guide along the side of the conveyor. Ideally, the units are held in place on the conveyor by a suitable mechanism. One such mechanism, in the case of units containing steel, would be to place magnets below the conveyor to hold the units in place magnetically. The conveyor then brings each unit past a first residue removing machine such as a buffing machine. In various embodiments, the unit may then be brought past a second residue removing machine such as a buffing machine.

The residue removing machines may be any suitable machine for removing residue. For example, they may be buffing machines, grinding machines, polishing machines, sanding machines, etc. Embodiments in which a buffing process are employed are described in some detail herein, however, it is understood that any of the above processes suitable for removing debris of various types are contemplated in place of a buffing process or machine. The buffing machines may any suitable machine. However, in certain ideal embodiments, the buffing machines include motorized devices which rotate a buffing wheel at suitable speeds. The buffing wheel comes into contact with the ticket edge of each shelving unit. As it rotates and applies pressure, residue such as glue is removed from the ticket edge.

In various preferred embodiments, each of the position of each of the buffing machines can be moved in and out of an operating position. A sensor, such as an optical sensor, can be used to detect when the front edge of the units is in a particular position. A signal from the sensor is used to trigger the movement of the buffing machines into an operating position at an appropriate time once the front edge of the shelving unit is in position to be buffed. Thus, the machines would be moved back out of the way between shelving units.

Various types of residue removing machines, buffing machines, buffing wheels, or grinding, polishing, or sanding wheels and patterns of motion and rotation may be used to suitably remove residue from the ticket edges. For example, the buffing wheel may be aligned to fit the ticket edge and rotate clockwise as viewed from above. Electric motors, for example, may be used to rotate buffer wheels. Buffer wheels having various specifications with respect to size, shape, coarseness, and other parameters may be utilized to obtain optimum results.

The residue removing machines may be moved in and out of operating position via sliding mounts such as dovetail mounts. Pneumatic systems may be used to control the movement of the machines.

A shield is optionally placed above the residue removing area of the conveyor to prevent debris from flying out above this area. This shield may be opaque or transparent to allow visibility into the area. Any suitable material may be used for the shield. In various embodiments, a plexiglass shield may be used.

Since debris is removed from the ticket edges of shelving or deck units in this process, it may be desirable to remove the debris from the surrounding area to avoid an accumulation of debris. A vacuum is optionally used to remove debris from the residue removing area.

Various additional steps in the process are ideally employed. For example, units may be sorted before a set of units is selected for use within the process. Ticket holders or ticket holder strips may be removed manually before units are placed on the conveyor. After buffing, shelving units may be cleansed and then painted to complete reconditioning.

Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it is shown and described only the preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like features, and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of one type of shelving unit having a ticket edge with residue thereon.

FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of another type of shelving unit having a ticket edge with residue thereon.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the buffing machine of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention used in the process of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

The present invention is a method and apparatus 10 for removing residue from a surface of an object. While the method can be used on various different objects, one particularly well-suited use is in reconditioning shelving or deck units 15.

In various embodiments, the method of the present invention includes removing residue from a surface of an object including the step of positioning the object on a conveyor 20 with a first surface 25 facing a residue removing direction. Additionally, the method includes moving the object via the conveyor 20 along a first residue removing machine 30, and removing residue from the first surface 25 with the first residue removing machine 30. The first residue removing machine 30 may be any machine suitable for removing residue. For example, it may be a buffing machine, a sanding machine, a polishing machine, a grinding machine, etc.

The conveyor 20 of the present invention may be of any suitable structure or configuration. For example, it may be a belt conveyor, a roller system conveyor, or any other suitable conveyor 20. Furthermore, the residue removing machine 30, and second residue removing machine 35, may be any suitable machines. The first and second residue removing machines 30 and 35 may be any machine suitable for removing residue. For example, the may be buffing machines, sanding machines, polishing machines, grinding machines, etc. Any suitable motor and may be used so long as it accomplishes the described functionality. For example, electric motors, hydraulic motors, pneumatic motors, or any other suitable machine. In certain embodiments, the buffing machines 30 and 35 are motors, such as 5 HP, 3450 RPM, three-phase 230 VAC, 60 Hz induction motors.

The motors turn a buffing, sanding, grinding, or polishing wheel 40. Buffing wheel 40 may be any suitable buffer composed of any suitable material and shaped and configured to optimize them for removing residue. For example, the buffing wheel 40 may be an aluminum oxide paint stripping wheel.

Residue removing machines 30 and 35 may be mounted on sliding mounts, such as dovetail mounts and moved by air-cylinder slides. A pneumatic system can thus be used to move residue removing machines 30 and 35 into and out of an operating position.

In various embodiments, the method for removing residue from a surface of an object of the present invention provides for the object to be a manufactured object, wherein the step of removing residue from the first surface 25 is at least a portion of a refurbishing process. As indicated above, a second residue removing or buffing machine 35 can be used in succession with the first machine 30 to further refine the buffing or residue removing process.

In embodiments in which the object is a shelving or deck unit 15, in a reconditioning process the residue to be removed from a ticket edge 25 is often glue or adhesive residue. The shelving or deck unit 15 is placed on the conveyor 40 with the ticket edge 25 facing a buffing direction so that it will be aligned with residue removing machines 30 and 35. In some embodiments, an edge guide 45 is disposed along a side edge of the conveyor 20. The units 15 are aligned using edge guide 45. The units 15 are then moved along the conveyor 20 and past at least the first machine 30, and if desired, past the second machine 40. The glue residue is thus removed from the ticket edge 25.

The method of the present invention is most suitable for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units 15. Ideally, one unit 15 is placed after another in spaced relation. In various embodiments, magnets 50 may be positioned to hold the units 15 onto the conveyor 20. In certain embodiments, the shelving units 15 are placed upside down on the conveyor 20, which may

In various embodiments, the method and apparatus 10 of the present invention further includes a vacuum with a vacuum intake such as a tube or plurality of tubes positioned in the residue removing area or buffing area and adapted to carry debris away from the buffing area.

It may be desirable in certain embodiments to move the buffing machines 30 and 35, for example, along a sliding base. The sliding base may be a dovetail arrangement or other suitable movable mounting. A sensor 60 such as an optical sensor may sense the presence of a front edge of a unit 15. Once the front edge is sensed via the sensor 60, the machines 30 and 35 may be moved, for example, via a pneumatic system, into buffing position, and out of position once the end of the unit 15 has been buffed. Various other degrees of motion may be used to position machines 30 and 35 as desired. A controller or set of controllers may be provided to control the positioning and movement of the machines 30 and 35.

A shield 65 may be placed above a buffing area to prevent debris from flying above the buffing area. The shield may be opaque or transparent. A plexiglass shield may be used, or any other suitable material may be used for the shield 65.

The process of reconditioning the units 15, as described herein, optionally includes additionally steps. For example, a manual step of removing ticket holders from the ticket edge 25 may be effected prior to placing units 15 on the conveyor 20. The units 15 may be sorted according to whether further blemishes are present, rending them unsuitable for reconditioning.

Furthermore, after the buffing steps, the units 15 may be cleansed. For example, either same conveyor, or another conveyor may be used to carry units 15 past a series of high pressure cleansing jets. After the cleansing process, paint may be applied to the units 15. In certain embodiments, paint may be applied via powder coating.

While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of protection is limited by the scope of the accompanying claims. 

1. A method for removing residue from a surface of an object comprising the steps of: positioning an object on a conveyor with a first surface facing a residue removing direction, moving said object via said conveyor along a first residue removing machine, and removing residue from said first surface with said first residue removing machine.
 2. The method for removing residue from a surface of an object according to claim 1, wherein said object is a manufactured object, and wherein said step of removing residue from said first surface comprises at least a portion of a refurbishing process.
 3. The method for removing residue from a surface of an object according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: moving said object via said conveyor along a second residue removing machine, and removing residue from said first surface with said second residue removing machine.
 4. The method of removing residue from a surface of an object according to claim 3, wherein said residue comprises glue.
 5. The method of removing residue from a surface of an object according to claim 4, wherein said first residue removing machine is a first buffing machine.
 6. A method for reconditioning a shelving or deck unit comprising the steps of: placing a shelving or deck unit having a ticket edge having residue thereon on a conveyor with the ticket edge facing a residue removing direction, moving said shelving or deck unit via said conveyor along a first residue removing machine, and removing at least a portion of said residue from said ticket edge with said first residue removing machine.
 7. The method for reconditioning a shelving or deck unit according to claim 6, wherein said residue comprises glue.
 8. The method for reconditioning a shelving or deck unit according to claim 7, wherein said first residue removing machine comprises a rotating buffing wheel aligned to remove said glue from the ticket edge of said shelving or deck unit as said unit passes by said first residue removing machine.
 9. The method for reconditioning a shelving or deck unit according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: moving said shelving or deck unit via said conveyor along a second residue removing machine, and buffing the ticket edge of said shelving or deck unit with said second residue removing machine.
 10. A method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units comprising the steps of: placing a plurality of shelving or deck units each having a ticket edge having residue thereon on a conveyor aligned one after another in spaced relation with the ticket edge facing a buffing direction, moving said shelving or deck units via said conveyor along a first buffing machine, and removing at least a portion of said residue from said ticket edge of each of said units with said first buffing machine.
 11. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 10, further comprising the step of: aligning said plurality of units with respect to an edge guide along an edge of said conveyor.
 12. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of units are composed of steel, and further comprising the step of: holding said plurality of units onto said conveyor via a plurality of magnets.
 13. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of: moving said plurality of shelving or deck units via said conveyor along a second residue removing machine, and buffing the ticket edge of said plurality of shelving or deck units with said second residue removing machine.
 14. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 11, wherein said first and second residue removing machines comprise rotating buffing wheels aligned to buff the ticket edge of each of said plurality of units.
 15. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 14, further comprising the step of: providing a vacuum intake in close proximity to a buffing area wherein said vacuum intake removes debris dislodged via said first and second residue removing machines.
 16. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 14, further comprising the step of: providing a sensing device oriented to sense the presence of one of said plurality of units, wherein said sensing device triggers a mechanism to move said first residue removing machine into operative position with respect to said one of said plurality of units once a front edge of said one of said plurality of units is in position for buffing.
 17. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 16, wherein said first and second residue removing machines are positioned on sliding mounts via which said machines are able to slide in and out of operative position.
 18. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 17, further comprising the step of: removing ticket holder strips from said plurality of units prior to the step of placing a plurality of shelving or deck units each having a ticket edge having residue thereon on a conveyor.
 19. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 18, further comprising the step of: cleansing the ticket edge of said plurality of units subsequent to the step of buffing the ticket edge of said plurality of shelving or deck units with said second buffing machine.
 20. The method for reconditioning a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 19, further comprising the step of: applying paint to the ticket edge of said plurality of units subsequent to the step of cleansing the ticket edge of said plurality of units.
 21. An apparatus for automated reconditioning of a plurality of shelving or deck units comprising: a conveyor adapted to receive and move a plurality of shelving or deck units, at least a first residue removing machine positioned along side said conveyor adapted to buff a ticket edge of such units.
 22. The apparatus for automated reconditioning of a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 21, further comprising: a second residue removing machine positioned to buff the ticket edge of such units.
 23. The apparatus for automated reconditioning of a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 22, further comprising: a sensor adapted to sense when a front edge of one of such units has approached a buffing position, wherein said sensor triggers one of said first and second machines to move into operating position at a time which coincides with one of such units being in a buffing position.
 24. The apparatus for automated reconditioning of a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 23, further comprising: a plurality of magnets for holding such units in place on said conveyor.
 25. The apparatus for automated reconditioning of a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 24, further comprising: a vacuum adapted to collect debris produced when residue is removed from such units by said residue removing machines.
 26. The apparatus for automated reconditioning of a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 25, further comprising: an edge guide aligned along an edge of said conveyor adapted to provide an alignment guide for such units.
 27. The apparatus for automated reconditioning of a plurality of shelving or deck units according to claim 26, further comprising: a shield positioned above said conveyor over a buffing area adapted to prevent debris from being projected upward beyond said shield. 